Diaper Bag #1

We're going to have two diaper bags...shocking, I know!

Here's one I ordered from Amazon. I love it because it's the same color scheme as the Bambino's room. I also think it looks like a cute purse, and will be easy to load up with everything and run some errands:

We also are getting another diaper bag - one that is a bit more sturdy for all those visits to see my family or going for walks or mini-trips around town. It's black with all kinds of zipped compartments, and is carried like a messenger bag (over the shoulder - criss-crossing the chest). I specifically picked this one so Patrick will feel like a guy when he carries it...and believe me, he WILL be carrying it at some point...

Sometimes I Just Don't Want To Eat That Many Carbs

Seriously.

I see my nutritionist again on Tuesday. Maybe she can help me figure out how to eat as many carbs as I should be eating when I feel full after munching on a few crackers with cheese, or one piece of wheat toast with peanut butter.

Attack of the Migraines

I've been plagued by a series of nasty migraines for the past few days. This time, I'm blaming it on the weather. One day it's 82 degrees and muggy, and the next day it's in the 60's with thunderstorms.

I awoke with another one this morning...

The Bambino at 30 Weeks

Here are the latest pictures of the Bambino. Now that I have gestational diabetes, I need to have ultrasounds every 4 weeks.

The tech said that he is measuring approximately 3 lbs 12 oz. He has long legs and big feet. During the exam, we could see him reaching out and grabbing his toes - he was a very busy boy.

I've Got "The Betes"

My doctor's office called this morning and told me that I failed my 3-hour glucose test. This means that I now have gestational diabetes (or "The Betes" as it's fondly called in my house).

They are setting up an appointment for me to see a diabetic counselor and I will need to check my blood sugar four times a day every day and keep a diary of my blood sugar levels.

Dear Diary,

I've got The Betes and I've got the blues...

-Tracy

Glucose Schmucose

I had my glucose tolerance test this morning. No news yet, but I hope to hear by Friday.

I got to the hospital around 7 AM and finally left there at 11 AM. It was a very long morning, but I am thrilled that it's finally over. I've been worrying about this since last Thursday, and all in all, it wasn't as bad as some people have made it sound. Why do people insist on telling you how they passed out or threw up all over the waiting room when they did this test?

The worst part is that you have to fast for about 10 hours. I'm one of those people who wakes up and can eat almost immediately - especially these past few months. This morning, I got up, threw on some comfy clothes and headed out the door - I did my best to not think about that ice-cold glass of orange juice that I have each morning.

They tried to draw my blood right away, but just as they were about to do so, my nose started bleeding...and it wouldn't stop. They ended up making me lay down in a chaise lounge and prop my feet up. It finally stopped and they took my blood, then poured me a nice, tall glass of cold glucola. Yum. This time it had twice the amount of glucose, which gave the already sweet orange drink a thick, syrupy consistency. The only good thing was that it wasn't as carbonated, so I didn't feel as bloated.

Then I sat for an hour - I read a book and watched people come in and out of the hospital.

Another blood draw and another hour in the waiting area. I repeated this two more times for a total of 3 hours and 4 blood draws.

By the last 30 minutes, my stomach was growling and I couldn't stop thinking about all the food that sounded really good to me. I went home feeling sluggish and headachy from the sugar crash and the 12+ hour fast.

I'm curious what the results will be - just a fluke or gestational diabetes? Only time will tell.

Fore!

Our annual golf event is coming up on Monday. This means that I have been stressed beyond belief at work, and that I worked most of last night and am doing more work this weekend. It all will be over in a couple of days. The day of the event is long and tiring, but by then all the prep work is over - it's all about staying on top of things.

This is my sixth year of coordinating the event. I thought things would get easier by now, but this year we added a couple of new people to our committee, which means that they have new ideas I need to implement.

I should get back to work. I really don't have much more to do, and I know that I will feel so much better if I can get this done this afternoon so I can enjoy my evening and my day tomorrow.

I probably won't post anything else until Tuesday (well, maybe Monday night if I'm feeling OK). I'm really looking forward to having another event behind me. It's like planning a wedding for 160 people each year. I didn't even have that many people at my own wedding...

I'm A Failure

I failed my glucose screening test. This means that I have to take the 3-hour glucose tolerance test next week. I have to fast for 8 hours, then go to the lab to have my blood drawn. After that, I need to guzzle down The Fizzy Lifting Drink (now with even more glucose!), and have my blood drawn every hour for 3 hours.

This seriously sucks.

Patrick thinks I should have studied harder, and now wonders if I will have to go to glucose summer school. It's not that funny when you're the one who has to sit through the test...

The Fizzy Lifting Drink

Yesterday was the dreaded glucose screening to test for gestational diabetes. I arrived at the lab at 4:40 PM and was greeted by the tech that would be taking my blood. She leaves the room and comes back with a cold bottle of glucola. She gets out her pen and tells me that I have 5 minutes to drink the entire bottle. I open it, take a whiff, and start with a small sip. It actually tasted pretty good...exactly like Sunkist, which was one of my favorite drinks when I was a kid (in fact, I have some Diet Sunkist in my fridge at home for the occasional craving).

I take a few bigger sips and chat with the tech. Hmm...not bad. Then comes the comforting news. The tech tells me that if I throw up (which occasionally happens), I have to reschedule and do this all over again. Note to self - don't throw up.

Here are the problems I soon ran into: 1) The "cocktail" is carbonated, so drinking that much of it (the equivalent of a can of pop) in 5 minutes makes you feel bloated, 2) I'm more of a "sipper" than a "chugger," so my stomach felt like it was expanding at a very rapid rate, and 3) When you get half way through the drink, it's downright disgusting. I'm one of those people who enjoys the first few gulps from a cold can of pop. Then I just like to pass it off to someone else. I've had my fill and that's all I want. Not this time. I had to finish it.

With about 2 minutes left, I still had half of the bottle finish. I felt like a balloon that was filling with air. Images of Charlie and Grandpa Joe drinking the Fizzy Lifting Drink and floating up into the air were stuck in my head. Oh God. 30 seconds left. I wanted to just dump out the rest of the drink, but I knew I had to finish it. I closed my eyes and chugged the rest of it.

Now all I had to do was keep it down.

I left the lab and sat in the waiting area with my book. Fortunately, I was the only person there, so I hid in the back and nestled myself into a chair right next to the women's restroom (you know, just in case). After about 5 minutes of deep breathing, I realized that I was going to be OK. The bloating went away and the baby started kicking up a storm - highly concentrated glucose will do that to a person.

One hour later, I had my blood taken and I left with a bandage around my right arm and a killer headache from the sugar.

I should find out the results soon, and I am hoping and praying that I pass this test. If I don't, I have to drink another bottle of that stuff, which will contain twice as much glucose...and I have to have my blood taken every hour for 3 hours.

Oh yeah...if anyone is interested in a 12-pack of Diet Sunkist, just let me know. It's free.

A Milestone

Tomorrow marks the beginning of my third trimester! I cannot believe it. It's all happening so fast and we still have a ton to do - finishing the nursery and choosing a name are the two big ones I can think of right now.

So, here's another picture: